I don't remember any scene where James Bond has to secretly record anything, but if you do, the MovieStick camcorder that Swann announced on Thursday would come in handy.

Slightly larger than a pack of gum and weighing less than 7 ounces, the MovieStick easily fits into your pocket and can be taken anywhere. It uses a removable microSD card (not included) to store recorded footage, up to 2.5 hours of video on a 2GB card. The device supports only older microSD cards (cap at 2GB). It can't handle high-capacity microSDs like those ScanDisk recently announced.

The MovieStick's picture quality is about the same as that recorded by a cell phone. It uses 3GP video format and its CMOS image censor can offer an image resolution at only 176x144 pixels, for both videos and still photos.

The device uses a built-in lithium battery, which is rechargeable via a USB port. The battery provides enough power for the device to operate up to 2.5 hours.

While the MovieStick is no technological wonder, it will make a cool toy that allows you to quickly, and perhaps secretly, capture footage while traveling or hanging out with friends. Just make sure you use it responsibly.

The MovieStick is estimated to cost $120 and is available later this month.

About the author

CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
See full bio